Dodgers waive Jason Repko after 11 seasons in organization

Waiving Stults was a formality before his sale to the Hiroshima Carp and was expected.

Repko’s release was hardly surprising -- the Dodgers may have to open up at least four spots on their 40-man roster to add Garret Anderson, Jeff Weaver, Ramon Ortiz and Nick Green.

Still, it’s likely another disappointing ending to a once promising young career, another good player who ultimately was not quite good enough to stick in the majors.

Repko began the 2006 season with the Dodgers as a fourth outfielder. He was getting some playing time until severely spraining his left ankle on May 9. He would miss 67 games, and it would hardly prove his last injury.

He missed all of the following season when he tore his left hamstring trying to run down a catch in spring training.

The last two years did not prove the breakthrough he needed. He got only 18 at-bats with the Dodgers in 2008 and just five last season.

Other young outfielders had arrived and prospered in Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier. Repko -- who was fast, but not exceptionally so; had some power, but not special power -- had been eclipsed.

This is his 11th season in the Dodgers’ organization, and his time seems to have passed. He’s 29, however, so this hardly means it’s over for the likable Repko. There’s no guarantee he will be claimed by another club, so he could easily be back.

Still, it’s one of those sad spring training stories, even if an inevitable one.